No, we don't currently have any sure way of knowing if the $26 shirt is more ethical or not. There are a few apps and a few reports (eg. produced by Oxfam) that can give us a broader idea of whether an item from a particular company is more or less likely to be ethical, but in the end we don't know for sure. And as responsible consumers, we should be demanding that retailers (especially large ones like Kmart and Target) provide us with the information or the assurances we need to be able to make an informed ethical choice.

As for the likelihood of a $2 shirt being produced ethically? Slim to none.

Those of you who think the problem is only that these things are bought please answer me honestly

When the stores don't do their business there WHERE do the people working in these factories go?
Yes working conditions should be safe, livable wage paid but where are these people going if the companies just shut up shop there? (and just fyi the stockers of these 'cheap' shirts fall far better in the ratings when comparing these things then MANY brand names do)

The problem is not just that these things are bought. The problem is also that retailers are happy to make a buck off of other people's misery.

I don't understand why the only possible outcome would be that these companies shut up shop? Why can't the outcome be that manufacturers and retailers improve safety and working standards and pay workers a liveable wage, and either sell items for a few dollars more or make a slightly smaller profit margin?

$2 Polo Shirts - Exploitation????

I'm talking about the shirts at the school I work at, but again...where has the fabric come from? Is it Australian cotton?

Are your school shirts $26 for a public school? Ours are $29

Founds this on the website so yep looks like all Australian materials which is good to know

Today all our garments are produced under the Robert Bruce label and the company is still wholly owned and operated by the Fletcher family. We proudly produce Australian made garments for men, women, boys and girls, using Australian woven wool and blended fabrics.

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Its about pure greed. Nothing more, nothing less. Almost everything is manufactured in the third world countries. Inexpensive and expensive products. No one can escape it. Its about the big wigs at the top using business like a monopoly. They're happy to pay someone $20 million, CEO for example, to turn huge profits for their companies. These 'CEOs' use aggressive advertising. They think outside the box. $2 polo shirts at a loss. Who cares? Once in store they will buy more products. Wasteful on the environment. Who cares?

Its like Woolworths with their rewards cards. They email me specials for the week on products that I normally buy. Its like why would Woolworths do me a favour? Really its not a reward for me but for Woolworths. Same thinking as the $2 polo shirt. Once in customer buys more.

I was speaking to a Woolworths cashier today and she told me that plastic bags are boxed into a thousand. And one register goes through at least one box a day. (I use their environment Woolworths bag).

I read Costco is opening 3 extra stores in Australia. Bulk buying here is the key to this store. Its (and not only Costco) that the grocery stores are interested in selling, selling, selling. Just take note of their ads. Maybe dieticians should be targeting them in an effort to drop obesity in the western world??

Really, corporations like Nike for instance should be ashamed of themselves. Charging an arm and a leg for their products when we all know that their labour is cheap. But no one has really put forward the hard questions to them. But as business goes, I'm sure they will carry on about the quality of their fabrics (manufactured cheap though) and I'm sure they pay their style design people top dollar so partly this is where the money goes. But their profit margins must be astronomical. And we all buy into it.

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It would be good if there was a third party organisation that could verify the 'ethics' of clothing products. The products that pass use this in their marketing / labelling and consumer can make more informed decisions. Similar to sustainably initiatives such as MSC (for seafood products) and SFI (for paper products).

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$2 Polo Shirts - Exploitation????

Originally Posted by Gentoo

As for the likelihood of a $2 shirt being produced ethically? Slim to none.

Of course it defies logic to think that a $2 shirt is ethically made, but these are the following brands who score the same or even WORSE than Kmart and target in regards to production:
Billabong, David Jones, GAP, Industrie, Kathmandu, Lacoste, Myer, Nike, Puma, Quicksilver, R.M.Williams, Skechers so I think it's a bit hypocritical to single out $2 shirts being sold in target and Kmart.

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Rather than seeing it as hypocritical, could it be the focus is on Kmart and target as these companies responded so well after the Bangladesh accident where so many people died. Maybe there is a view that if these companies are shamed they'll change their ways? I think we've all given up on companies like Nike, and many of the others don't have the market share. David Jones and myer appearing on these lists is disappointing too.

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